stearws



L. M. STEA RNS.

I FILE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB- 29. 1916.

1,322,642., Patented Nov. 25, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS L. M 'STEARNS.

FILE. APPLICATION FILED in. 29.19"- 1,322,6 42.-, Patented Nov. 25, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES Y L. M. STEARNS.

FILE. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 29. N6.

, M INVENTOR WITNESSES L. M. sTEARNs.

FILE.

APPLICATION FILED fEB. 29. I916.

Patentd Nov. 25, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

iNVENTOR ATTORNEYS II l I I I l WITNESSES LINCOLN M. STEARNS, OF YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO.

FILE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented NO 25, 1919.

Application filed February 29, 1816. Serial No. 81,090.

To all whom it may concern:

- Be it known that I, LINCOLN M. STEARNs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Youngstown, county of Mahoning, State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful File, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention consists of anovel file which is especially adapted to receive and retain in a fiat and unwrinkled condition tracings, drawings and other papers in such a manner that they may be readily removed when desired. 1

It further consists of a novel file having upright or vertical partitions of skeleton formation suspended within the cabinet or case and whereinthe walls of the partitions form the means to grip the articles inserted between them.

It further consists of a novel file having an upright pocket suspended from its top and open at its upper end and having its bottom consisting of a flexible loop, with the sides of the pocket above the loop stifi and constituting guides for the folders which are to be inserted.

Other novel features of construction and advantage will hereinafter more clearly appear in the detailed description of my invention. 5

For the purpose of illustrating my .invintion, I have shown in the accompanying drawings certain embodiments thereof which are at present preferred by. me, since the same will give in practice satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be under-- stood that the various instrumentalities of which my, invention consists can be variously arranged and organized and that my invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and organization of these instrumentalities as herein shown and described.

Figure 1 represents a -perspective view partly broken away of a filing cabinet and files, embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 represents a section on line w-0e Fig. 3. Y Q

Fig. 3 represents a longitudinal section of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 represents a sectional elevation of another embodiment-of my invention.

Fig. 5 represents a section on line y-y of Fig; 1. I I

Fig. 6 represents a sectional elevation of another embodiment of my invention.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts 111 the figures.

Referring to the drawings.

. Referring first to Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, 1 designates the cabinet or case which may have any desired or conventional contour. The cabinet may be supported in any deslred manner and for convenience of illustratlon is ,shown as provided with antifrict1o1 1 devices 2 such as casters, which may be omltted if desired. The cabinet'is open at 1ts upper end as at 3 and such opening is covered by a sectional curtain 4 the sections of which are connected at their top to cross bars 5 the ends of which are guided in chan-' nel bars 6 mounted within the cabinet. The cross bars 5 are provided with handles 7. The curtain 4 when in open position is concealed between the plates 8 which are connected to or carried by the side walls of the cablnet 111 any desired manner and at their upper ends they are curved laterally and terminate within the top of the cabinet, as will be understood-by reference to Fig. 1. 9 designate angle bars which are connected by means of angle brackets 10 with the cabinet. The angle bars 9"are cut as at 11 to form seats to receive supporting bars 12 to.

which latter compression strips 13 have thelr upper ends connected, as at 14, by riveting, welding or any other desired manner. The bars 12 near their ends are cut out asat 1 5 to form tongues 16. The compres sion strips 13 near their bottoms are cut out as at 1? to form tongues 18 which are-freely movable in the transversely extending chan-- nel bars 19 carried by the bottom of the caslng. The bars 19 may have any desired shape in cross sections and for purpose of illustration are shown as substantially U shaped.

20 designate longitudinally extending spaced plates connected with the side walls of the cabinet by welding or in anyother desired manner; These plates are preferably provided with offset flanges 21 secured to the cabinet by fastening devices 22. The compression strips 13 carried byja bar12 have locatedbetween them springs :23 which I have preferred to illustrate as of helical formation with their endportions secured to their respective compression .strip.v As shown, the ends of the springs pass through extruded blisters 24. The Y compression strips 13 are formed'from sheet metal preferably of about sixteen or eighteen gage" which renders the partitionssostiif that the springs will not bend them or exert a l ocal ized pressure on the papers between the partitions.

.. In the embodiment shown in Figs. 4C and 5 the-partitioning members are formed, sup

ported and guided in a different-manner from that seen in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive. The

cabinet is constructed in a similar mannerto any desired manner. 27 designate supporting-bars the ends of which are slidably mounted on the channelbars 25.128 designate compression stripssecured to the bars 27 in any desired manner. The upper ends of a set of-compression strips are refolded or deflecteddownwardly, as at 29; to engage theends of a strip of fabric 30; .Each strip of .afset has its lower end recessed at opposite sides as at 31 to form a T or tongue 32 and Z bars 33 are provided'at the bottom ofthe cabinet to guide the lower ends of the compression strips. 34 designate "bars'carried by the compression strips and forming therewith a skeleton partition. 35 designates reinforcing plates corresponding to the plates 20 in Fig. 1.' 36 designates springs having their ends connected to the compression strips of a set in a similar manner to that already described with respect to F igs.

' 1 to 3 inclusive.

1111 the form shown in Figs. 4 and 5 I preferably employ upper, lower and intermediate springs. The purpose ofthe connection30 at the top is to prevent thef'accidentaldropping of folders between thebacks of the compressionstiips. t "In the embodiments seen'in Figs 1 to 5 inclusive the partitioning members are not connected at their bottom to form pockets and are not flexible in the sense that the springs exert a localized pressure or bend them. r I

f-In Fig. 6, I show another embodiment of 7 my inventionin which juxtaposed compression strips have their lower ends connected to retain' fthe folders in their respective pockets. 37 designate the compression strips, seen in F ig. 6, which are connected'attheir upper 35 ends to supporting bars 38 the ends of which are seated "in the sloots' 39 in the bar 4:0.

11 s et se ir i i wi ee s sd with juxtaposed compression strips. The

lower ends, of i-"two adjacent compressionstrips are deflected upwardlyto clamp the ends of a flexible unsupported loop 42 which ceive the folder. The pocket formed by 5 forms a flexible bottom for the upright or vertical pocket or receptacle whichis to re- "the compression strips and fiexible loops is suspended'wholly from its upper end and is of skeleton formation. The bottom of the pocket terminates preferably short of the bottom of the case and is; entirely freeand unsupported in-order that the bottom edge i of the folder-may be centered; The con structioii seen in Fig. 6 difiersfrom that seen in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive in that adjacent compressionstrips, instead of being guided and freely movable at-their bottom, are connected by a flexible loop forming therewith a pocket with a flexible bottom; o 1 r U "Themetallic' side members of the filing spacesfinFigs. 1 to 5 inclusivet-and ofthe pockets in Fig. 6, arepreferably smoothand relatively stiff and facilitatethe insertion of the folders. o 1 1 o For the sake of clearness of illustration and since their use is well 'understoodby thoseskilled' in this art, "I have deemed it l unnecessary to illustrate the folderswhi'ch fit into the filing spaces or'into the pockets. The compression strips 'forin' stiff-upright side members against which the compression springs bear. 1 7

In all of'the embodiment-s ofmy'invention, I employ stiff uprightmembersto form the skeleton wall of the filing space" sothat the gripping action due to the compression springs is not localized" but is'distributed throughout substantiallylthe entire surface of the members which contact with the folders. In other words,thewallbfthe filing spaceis not-deflected out of its normal "plane or I distorted "by the compression springs. I

It will be apparent that'juxt'ap'osed metal parts may be connected by weldingpriveting or'in any other desired'manne'rlf It will now be; apparent that I have devised a 'noveland useful file which embodies the features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement of the invention and the above description. and while'I have,

in the preseint instance, shown and'de s cribed preferred "embodiments thereof which-i will give in practice satisfactory andreliable re sults, it is to beunderstood' that the same aresu'sceptible of modification in various particulars ;without departing from the 'spirit or scop'e'of'the invention or sacrificin nt n, Wh 7 forming filing spaces, and means to guide the lower ends of said partitions.

2. A file comprising a series of upright compression strips suspended at their upper ends and forming filing spaces with walls of skeleton formation, the filing spaces being open at their top and bottom, and guides for the lower ends of said strips.

3. A file comprising a series of upright compression strips suspended at their top and forming filing spaces with walls of skeleton formation, compression springs bearing against said strips, and guiding means for the lower ends of said strips.

i. A file comprising a series of stiff upright compression strips suspended at their top and forming filing spaces with walls of skeleton formation, compression springs bearing against said strips, and guiding means for the lower ends of said strips.

5. A file comprising a cabinet, cross bars carried thereby, compression strips secured at their upper ends to said cross bars and having their lower ends disconnected to form upright filing spaces, and bars carried by said cabinet and serving as guides for the lower ends of the compression strips.

6. A file comprising a series of upright partitions suspended at their upper ends and of skeleton formation, with juxtaposed partitions disconnected at both their tops and their bottoms.

7. A file comprising a cabinet having an open top, bars fiXed within the upper portion of the cabinet, cross bars mounted on said bars, compression strips having their upper portions fixed to said cross bars and forming filing spaces with skeleton walls of stiff upright members, compression springs bearing against said members, and guiding devices for the lower ends of said members.

8. A file comprising a cabinet having an open top, bars fixed within the upper portion of the cabinet, cross bars mounted on said bars, compression strips having their upper portions fixed to said cross bars and forming filing spaces with walls of stiff upright members,. compression springs bearing against said members, said strips having cut out portions at their lower ends, and bars having means to extend into said out out portions to guide the lower ends of said strips.

9. A file comprising a cabinet having an open top, a curtain covering said top, means to guide said curtain, supporting bars within said cabinet, stiff upright members arranged in sets with their upper ends fixed at opposite sides of said bars and spaced apart to form skeleton walls of filing spaces open at their top and bottom, and means to guide the lower ends of said members.

10. A file comprising a series of upright partitions suspended at their upper ends and forming filing spaces, means to guide the lower ends of said partitions, a curtain covering the top of said file, and means to guide said curtain.

LINCOLN M. STEARNS.

Witnesses:

A. P. WHITE, H. S. FAIRBANKS. 

